NFL fans have same hilarious reaction to Titans’ request to interview Browns’ Catherine Hickman for GM opening
To the bewilderment of NFL fans, the league’s worst Tennessee Titans have asked the Cleveland Browns for permission to interview Catherine Hickman for their vacant general manager position.
It’s nothing against Hickman, personally. She has high-level experience after breaking into the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019, and previously worked for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League in her native Quebec.
Instead, fans are mainly reacting to her recent resume with the 3-14 Browns, who reportedly agreed to the request.
“Right, because the Browns are the ideal franchise to get talent from,” one fan wrote on X, where many others shared similar thoughts.
“Why would we want anyone from the Browns front office?” asked a Titans fan.
Another commenter decided to make a pun: “Because the Browns are, pardon the pun, titans of front office genius.”
Catherine Hickman, assistant GM and vice president of football operations for the Cleveland Browns, is pictured during an interview during an NFL football practice, November 2, 2023
Fans didn’t respond with sexist comments, but rather with concerns about Hickman’s recent resume
Others were even less supportive of hiring someone from a franchise that has made three playoff appearances since 1999 — and just one postseason win.
“Wow,” one fan began. ‘… an NFL team wanting to hire someone from the Browns organization is mind numbing… there isn’t a single facet of the team that excelled at anything… they are the textbook example of what NOT to do, from above to bottom. Sorry Titans fans, I really feel sorry for you.”
Others were curious to know if Hickman was involved in the disastrous 2022 trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who arrived in Cleveland for a slew of draft picks and has since struggled with injuries, inconsistency and the lingering stigma of sexual misconduct allegations.
“Did this person have anything to do with the Deshaun Watson trade/signing?” one fan asked.
Regardless, Hickman arrived in Cleveland months after Watson was acquired ahead of the 2022 season.
She has been assistant general manager and vice president of football operations for the Browns since 2022, after being hired as football operations coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019. The person spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity on Wednesday because neither team comments on interview requests.
Hickman is currently the NFL’s top executive with a team.
A meeting with Hickman will help Tennessee comply with the Rooney Rule that requires a team to interview at least two outside candidates, who are either people of color or women, for the Titans’ general manager opening.
Watson went 1-6 as a starter this season before injuring his Achilles tendon against Cincinnati
To be clear, Hickman arrived in Cleveland months after the disastrous Deshaun Watson deal
Interestingly enough, fans’ reactions on social media had little to do with Hickman’s gender, but rather her connection to the Browns.
“Seems fitting since we are the Browns of the South,” one Titans fan wrote about the reported interview.
The Titans sent out several interview requests to fill the GM job that began Tuesday with the firing of Ran Carthon after two seasons on the job. He was the franchise’s first black general manager, and he was fired after the Titans went 9-25 during his tenure.
Chad Brinker, the Titans’ president of football operations, is conducting the search and told the AP on Tuesday that they already had strong interest in the job.
The controlling owner of the Titans is Amy Adams Strunk.